Big House or Almeida's House, 18th century building

Category: Civil Architecture > House

District: Santarém > Sardoal > Sardoal > Centro

Location

Located on the main avenue of the village of Sardoal, near the Town Hall and in front of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

Origin

Originally built in the late 17th century, with subsequent rebuilds in the 18th century by the Moura e Mendonça family, an important nobility of the region.

Architecture

Manor house in a stately style with a longitudinal plan, several sections linked together, and two or three-pitched roofs. The main facade is composed of four sections of two floors, separated by pilasters and decorated with a cornice.

Artistic details

, Wrought iron railings with floral designs and scrolls on the balconies.

, Stone pavement in the main atrium, made of small pebbles.

Historical functions

Residence of the Moura e Mendonça family, it had adjacent buildings that served as stables and accommodation for servants.

Chapel

The annexed chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Carmel, preserves a beautiful wooden sculpture from the 18th century.

Current state

Today, part of the building houses the Municipal Library of Sardoal, which was inaugurated in 2007, after functioning as a fixed library of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Curiosity

The manor house is a landmark of the architectural and cultural heritage of the village, reflecting the historical importance of the noble families that inhabited Sardoal.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt